Seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary Time (Homily)
July 24, 2016 5:00 pm · Father David Mbimadong
At the beginning of the Mass I said, two scripture texts from the Old Testament and the Gospel draw our attention to the fact that we need to be persistent in our prayer and our relationship with God. In the first reading today, we hear how Abraham interceded for the people of Sodom and Gomorrah. The Lord had made known his intention to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah because of their evil deeds. He told Abraham, and Abraham was not quite happy. He was not happy that the Lord was going to take the life that he himself created. So he began to bargain with the Lord.
He asked the Lord, "If you find 50 good people in the city, would you destroy it?". The Lord said, "No". Abraham knew he was an unworthy man in the presence of an all Holy God. But in humility and courage, he stood before the Lord and interceded for the people of Sodom. Abraham continued until the number 10. Even if you finish reading that text, you'll find out they didn't find 5 people, not 5 good people could be found in that city. Only Lot, his wife and his 2 children. And we know that even Lot's wife was not quite faithful and she became a pillar of salt as the city was being destroyed. Like Abraham we too have been chosen and called to come to intercede for other people. We are other Abrahams in our world. Perhaps if we stand firm in our relationship with the Lord, to intercede for the world, because of us the world may not be destroyed. Nobody needs to tell and frighten us that as things happen now, we are not sure when the end of the world will come. Maybe very soon.